The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk Management Committee met on Wednesday, 14 January 2026.

The recently expanded committee, which now includes additional elected members from both the Bray and Greystones Municipal Districts alongside representatives from Business Pillars and local interest groups, received a briefing from RPS Consultants Ltd.

The presentation summarised the report's findings and set out proposed next steps, potential environmental screening requirements, planning consent needs, project challenges and constraints, and an indicative delivery timeline.

Bray Head is designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), meaning any plan or project must undergo screening for Appropriate Assessment under the EU Habitats Directive to protect Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. RPS has completed preliminary assessments of proposed works on the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk and concluded the works may significantly affect the SAC, necessitating extensive environmental surveys under EU and national law. A conservative estimate for completing the required steps is 36 months.

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A comprehensive discussion followed in which members voiced disappointment and frustration at the potential timeframe and the continued closure of the walk. Possible alternative engineering solutions were considered, and RPS was asked to explore any options that could shorten the programme and report back at the next meeting.

Chairperson of the Committee, Councillor Erika Doyle, said: "While the timeline given for the proposed full remediation project is disappointing and not what any of us wanted to hear, we acknowledge that statutory processes such as planning applications, environmental assessments and procurement, stem from national and European legislation and cannot be bypassed. We will now investigate if other remediation methods might require a shorter lead-in period, and have asked the consultants to present again at our next meeting in February. The Committee is united in its aim of working with Wicklow County Council towards safely reopening the Cliff Walk in the shortest possible timeframe. I want to thank all of the community representatives who attended and have committed to participating in regularly scheduled meetings in the near future."

Wicklow County Council remains committed to progressing the project in a diligent, safe and environmentally sound manner. The Cliff Walk remains closed due to significant safety concerns.